Real-Time Chat Application

A feature-rich real-time chat application built with Django, Channels, and modern frontend technologies. The application supports Google Authentication, real-time messaging, file sharing, and user status tracking.

Deployed Link

https://hearingaid.pythonanywhere.com/

Features

Authentication & User Management

• Google OAuth2 integration for seamless sign-in
• User profile management
• Online/offline status tracking
• Last seen timestamps

Chat Functionality

• Real-time messaging using WebSocket
• File attachment support
• Message read receipts
• Chat history
• Message timestamps
• Desktop notifications
• Typing indicators

User Interface

• Responsive design for all devices
• Modern UI with TailwindCSS
• Collapsible sidebar for mobile view
• User-friendly interface
• Real-time status indicators

Technology Stack

Backend

• Django 5.0.1
• Channels 4.0.0
• Django Channels
• Social Auth App Django

Frontend

• TailwindCSS
• AlpineJS
• WebSocket

Database

• SQLite (development)

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8+
• JavaScript
• Google OAuth2 credentials

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd <project-directory>

2. Create and activate virtual environment:

# Windows
python -m venv venv
venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Python dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Apply database migrations:

python manage.py makemigrations
python manage.py migrate

5. Create superuser (admin):

python manage.py createsuperuser

Running the Project

1. Start the development server:

python manage.py runserver

2. In a new terminal, start the Tailwind CSS build process:

npx tailwindcss -i ./static/css/input.css -o ./static/css/output.css --watch

3. Access the application:

• Main application: http://127.0.0.1:8000

Working of Application